Wire feed machine



y 15, 1952 F. A. NEWCOMBE 2,603,423

WIRE FEED MACHINE Filed June 20, 1946 (0/4 Carr/Ara MG/l/NE' [N V EN TOR. F97 NEWCHMBE Patented July 15, 1952 UNITED STATES F F ICE WIRE FEED MACHINE Frank A. Newcombe, NutleyjNf. assignor to, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of, Pennsylvania Application June 20, 1946, Serial No. 678,080

This inventionrelates to means for feeding wire to a cutting machine or other apparatus using ,the same. i V

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is to provide an improved wire feed controL'particularly adapted for feeding tungsten wire and the like to coil-cutting machines or other apparatus using such wire.

Another-object of my invention is to provide a wire feed which is motor driven to turn a spool of wire to keep unwound a relatively long length of wire and hold the same under predetermined tension, readily available to a coil-cutting or other machine using such wire, automatic controlsbeing provided to stop the motor when the desired length. has been unwound and start it again when necessary to replenish the unwound supply.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing: I

Fig. 1. is a diagrammatic elevational view of apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows- V Machines,,such as those which form and cut coils of tungsten wire used for making lamps, need a supply of such wire alwaysavailable in unwound condition and under a predetermined relatively-small tension, so thatjas the wire is drawn from 'aspool and cut, thejerky pull on such-wire will'not cause breakage, nor will any kinked wire portions be delivered to the using machine. 'The wire-feeding device previously employed has not been entirely satisfactory because an extensive amount of maintenance was required to keep it in operating condition. I have therefore developed a simplified control for feedingwire to machines, and particularly those for forming and cutting coils for use in electric lamps. However, my feed control is adapted for supplying wire to any machine which uses it and is not limited to feeding wire of tungsten or the like. Referring to drawing, like parts being designated bylikereference characters, there is shown a spool H. from which wire I 2 is being. drawn and fedtola machine l3 using it, as overflpulley 20. Althoughthe machine I3 is designated as a coil-cutting machine and indicated only diagrammatically, it will be understood that it represents any machine thatmakes use of such wire.

It'is not satisfactory for the wire I2 to feed 5 Claims. (01; 242-45) 2 directly from the spool -l| to the using machine because of the non-uniform rate at which the wire is needed. It is, therefore, necessary to have some unwound length of wire under predeter: mined light tension, so that jerky pulling on the wire by the using machine 13 will not break'or kink it. For this reason,- I feed the wire [2 sup,- portingly under a pulley l4, freely rotatable on a light weight carriage l'5 which slides on guide rods [6 and I1. These rods may be relatively long, so that when thereel I5 is in its normally lowermost position,- a relatively great length of wire under predetermined light tension, is available for immediate use by the machine l3. 4

- The spool H is tight on a shaft [8 driven by a suitable small motor ls with or without reduc tiongearing 21. The; speed ofthe motorfwhich may be varied by adjustment of the rheostat-30, is such that, when operating, the wire 12 is unwoundfaster than itis used by the machine l3,

so that thecarriage-l5 moves from the full line position to that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The drag of the gearing 2| and/or motor l9 shouldbe enough to prevent the tension of the wire I2 from turningv thev shaft 18. In order to control the operation of the motor, the reel 15 carries a cam 22 which alternately'actuates the normally-open start switch 23, as by engaging the roller 24 on operating member or. lever 25, andthe normally-closedstop switch 26 disposed below said start switch, as by engaging-the roller 21 on its operating member or lever 28.

, The start switch 23 is connected to the solenoid 29 of the line starter 3| of the motor l9, so-that upon closure of the switch 23 upon upward movement ofthe weight reel to about the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the solenoid is energiz ed from supply source 32 through switch 33, line 34, start switch 23, line 35, and back to the source-throughulines 36, 31, and38, stop switch 26, and line 39. This energization of the solenoid 29 draws the armature 4| to the left, as viewed in- Fig. 1, closingconnected switches 42, 43 and 44 against the action of biasing spring 45. Switch 42 on closing keeps the solenoid 29 energized after the circuit through the switch, 23 is broken, as the weight reel I5 moves downward and its cam 22 releases the roller 24. The closing of the switches 43 and 44 completes the circuit to and energizes the motor l9 through lines 34, 46, switch '44, lines 4'! and-48, and of power through lines 49, 5|, speed-control rheostat 30, switch 43, lines 37 and 38, stop switch 26, andline39."

Inasmuch as the motor when running feeds the back to the source 'I claim: I

wire [2 from the spool ll faster than it is used by the machine [3, the weight carriage l5 then descends to the dotted position Where its cam 22 engages the roller 21 on the switch operating member 28, causing the switch 26 to open, thereby breaking the circuit to and stopping the motor l9. This also deenergizes the solenoid 29, allowing theswitches-dz, 43 and M'toxoperi underthe influence of the spring 45, so that the motor [9 does not again run until enough wire is drawn, the weight carriage descends a predetermined distance, a normally-closed stop switch opened by by the machine l3 to raise the carriage l5 into engagement with the roller 24 of the switch23,-f

as indicated in full lines, whereupon the motor is started and the unwinding operationjis re -1 peated. In order to prevent continued operation of the machine i3 if something goes wrong, like the breaking of the wire I2, a normally closed .cut-- out switch 52 is provided which is opened after" the weight carriage l5 drops below the normal lowermostposition, indicatdin dotted lines; so that itengages the operatirig "arm 53 on' said switch and breaks the-circuit through lines 54 and 55 to the line starter 55 of the-motor '(not shown) which operates the machine l3. 'I he' normal operation of -the aforedescribed mechanism "Ls-as follows:- n'ss-uming it to start with the motor 'I 9 'deener gized and the w'eight carriage l5 in'lewer posi' tio'n; operation of the machine [3 draws on 'the wire f 'ov'er pulley 28',- raising the carriage l5 until it-engages the roller 24 and closes the switch 23. This startsthe' motor l9 which unwin'ds the wire Iii-from; the spool ll ata-con'stantspeed faster than-used bythe machine [3, so that the carriage- 5 l 5 moves downward, finally engaging the roliertl, openingtheswitch 35, and deenerg gizing'the motor l9; ihiscauses thecarriage'l'd to be "raised by continued operation of the m-achi'riel-S and the operation is repeated.

the foregoingdisclo'sure, 'it'will be seen that I have provided a'wire-feed controlfWhich .alwaysmaintains a* desired length of wire-under light tension, read'y'ior beingimmediately-drawn to a'coil-outting' or'other'using' machine, thereby normally preventingbreaking or kinking of the wire "as well -a's1having a' satisfactory supply available at-all times. Although certain form's'of the control switches have beenill'ustrated, it will 'beunclers'tcod that these, as well as other parts of themechanism may b'e-modified within the spirit and scope er the invention; as "defined by the appended; claims. i

"L'Apparatus for feeding-wire comprising a supply spool, a-motorconnected in driving relationship with said spool, a weight'carri'age, a p'ulley rotatable thereon and under which the wire from said spool supportingly' passes on its way to a using mechanism, whereby said wire is held un der a predetermined amount of t'ensiona norgmalIy-open startswitch closed by saidweight carriage when 'in' an upper position to energize said motor and start unwinding the wire from said spool" until the weight carriage carried thereby-descends to a lower position, a normally closed stop switch opened by said weight carriage when in lower position in order to then 'deener g'ize' said motorya line starter for saidusing mechanism,'and a normally-closed cut-out switch in the circuit .to saidline starter'and disposed directl'ybelowrsaid weight carriage, so that it is opened in *case. the weight carriage descends below its normally lowermost position, as upon brealg age-ofithewire. f 1

said weight carriage at the end of said predetermin'ed'distance, in order to then deenergize said 7 ding means,, means for driving said using mechanism, and a switch in the circuitwith the 1 power supply to said driving means and disposed directly beneath said carriage, so that it is opened in case said carriage descends below its normally lowermost position, as upon breakage of the wire.

3. Apparatus for feeding wire-comprising a supply spool, a motor connected indirect driving relationship with said spool, a weight'carriage? relatively long 'rods 611 which said: carriageis guidingly mounted for up and down movement, a pulley rotatably mounted on said carriage and under which the wire rrom said spool supportingly passes on its way to a'using'mechanism, a normally-open starts witch, an operating lever for said-switch pivoted adjacent one end, a roller pivoted on'said lever adjacent its other end, a cam on said carriage to engage said roller and close said start switch when the carriage is in an upper position, to energize said motor and start unwindingthewire from saidspool until the carriage descends ,to; a lower position; a normally closed 'stop'fswitch, an operating lever'for said switch pivoted adjacent one end, a roller pivoted on sai'd'lever adjacent'its otherend, the cam on said carriage when in a lower position engaging said roller and opening said stop'switch'deiehergizing said motor; and allowing the. using mecha nism to raise the weight carriage by drawinglon the wire, until itfagain closes the start switch for a repetition of the operationf 'f f p 4. ,Apparatus for feeding wire comprising a shaftcarried supplyspooLa motor with a'line starter including an actuating solenoid and con neotedinldirect driving relationship with said shaft, steam-carrying weight carriage, a pulley rotatably mounted on s'aid gmrriageand under which, wire;v froin s'aidflsupply' spool. supportingl'y passes onits waytfo ausi'ng mechanism, relatively long rods on which'said carriage is guidingly mounted for up and down, movement, anormallyopen starts vitch an operating lever for said switch pivoted adjacent one-end, a roller pivoted on saidlever adjacent itsjotherjend, said carriage cam being ,engagjeable withfsaid roller to close said start switchj 'whensaidflcarriage is in'an upper position, to'energize' said line-starter solenoid, start the meter and keep itunwinding wire from saidrsupplyrispojol', even if the weight car-1 riage dropsandallows ,the'start switch tofreopen, untilsa'id weight carriage descends to a. predetermined lower, position, a normally-closed stop switchanoperating lever forsaid switch pivoted adjacent one end, a roller, pivotedon .saidllever adjacent itsother end, meea ior. said carriage when in a lower position. engaging said roller and opening said stop switch', inorder to deenergia said motor and allow the using mechanism to raise the weight carriage byv drawing on the wire, until itscam againcloses the'start switch'fora repetitionof the operation.

5. Apparatus for feeding wire comprising a supply spool tight on a shaft, a motor geared to said shaft, a weight carriage, rods on which said carriage is guided for up and down movement, a pulley rotatable on said carriage and under which the wire from said spool supportingly passes .on its way to a using mechanism, a normally-open start switch, an operating lever for said switch pivoted adjacent one end, a roller pivoted on said lever adjacent its other end, a cam on said carriage to engage said roller and close said start switch when the carriage is in an upper position, a normally-closed stop switch disposed below said start switch, an operating lever for said switch pivoted adjacent one end, a roller pivoted on said lever adjacent its other end, the cam when said carriage is in a lower position engaging said roller and opening said stop switch, said closing of the start switch and opening of the stop switch being effected by said motor alternately unwinding REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,341,651 Lammers June 1, 1920 1,662;660 Clay Mar. 13, 1928 1,683,318 Waner Sept. 4, 1928 1,902,139 Pfeifier Mar. 21, 1933 2,161,228 Littell June 6, 1939 2,202,127 Tondreau T May 28, 1940: 2,314,070 Bogoslowsky Mar. 16, 1943 2,379,132 Cook June 26, 1945 

